Aspenpaw's trial
by xFrosty
Summary: Aspenpaw is a Thunderclan apprentice with a strong loyalty to her clan and the Warrior Code, and one day hopes to achieve the title of greatest honor; Clan Leader. But a darkness is sinking over her clan from the frequent deaths of her clan-mates, and how can she save the cats she loves, when she's portrayed as the murderer?
1. Chapter 1

Should we go and spy on Tawnycloud's kits?"

"No! That's boring. They _always_ find us!"

"Then, this time, let's make sure they _don't!"_

Aspenkit rolled her amber eyes.

"Okay, if you don't want to do that, what do you want to do?" Spiderkit inquired.

"Hmm... should we go stalk each other?"

"No... how about hide and seek?" Spiderkit eagerly mewed.

"There's not enough kits to play," Aspenkit pointed out.  
"We could ask Rainkit, Barkkit, and Blossomkit to play," he suggested, "or one of the warriors."  
Aspenkit snorted. "Yeah, okay, like the warriors will play with us! But I bet Rainkit will..."

"And if one of them plays with us, so do the others!" Spiderkit bounced excitedly.

"Great! Come on!" Aspenkit bounced around for a mere second before darting out into the clearing, Spiderkit quickly following her.

"Over there," she pointed with her ears in the direction of the 3 big kits, darting a round each other, heavily entranced in a game of tag.

"Hey! Blossomkit!" Aspenkit called out to the skinny silver tabby, the closest one to her.

Blossomkit skid to a stop and stopped at the kit with round, confused yellow eyes. "Huh?" she asked, facing the two kittens.

Rainkit came darting around from behind her, extending a single dark paw and hitting her shoulder with it. "Hah! You're it!" He called, not leaving her enough time to react before sprinting away.

"Hey!" Blossomkit gave an angry grunt and narrowed her eyes, her soft fur sticking up at the ends of her neck in rage. She turned and raced away after her brother, before pausing, and instead gave chase on Barkkit instead, who gave a frightened squeal upon the she-cat running towards her .

"Wait! Don't you want to play hide 'n' seek?" Aspenkit called out desperatly.

"I don't think so, dear," Tawnycloud spoke. The two kits had been two distracted with the big kits to notice the fluffy queen behind them.

"They're too hyped up to stand still for that long," she continued, "but I could play with you, if you'd like."

"No way!" Spiderkit exclaimed, "everyone knows you have the best nose from here to Starclan!" he quickly added on.

Tawnycloud's eyes lit up with amusement. "That's okay. You should try playing tag with them," she flicked her thick tail over to her kits. "They'd enjoy having more players."  
"But, they're too big!" Aspenkit looked horrified. "They'd trample us!"  
"They're only 2 moons older than you," she flicked her tail dismissively.

"Alright," Aspenkit's tail drooped.

The two kits padded over to a simple spot in a patch of dry, cracked ground, and when their haunches hit the ground, dust went flying.

"Blossomkit! Over here!" Aspenkit yelled to the she-kit, but to no avail. The silver tabby was still running, her tail curled, yellow eyes bright in determination.

Finally, Barkkit stopped to survey the two kits.  
"Can we join?" Spiderkit asked.

"Sure!" Barkkit padded over to them, and in a flash, quickly slapped Spiderkit's shoulder.

"Now you're it!" the she-cat called, her blue eyes alit with humor as she ran away.


	2. Chapter 2

Spiderkit flashed a quick glance to Aspenkit, who was staring at him with wide amber eyes.  
"Sorry!" he slapped her shoulder and raced after Barkkit, who was chatting with Rainkit- upon seeing the kit, the two scattered, both running in different directions.

"Wait- Aspenkit is it!" he called after them. Barkkit continued to run, Rainkit looking unsure, but padding after his sister, anyways.

Aspenkit leaped on-top of her brother. "Got you," she announced, a mock tone in her voice. "You're it!" she leaped off and ran away.

"You okay?" Blossomkit was padding over to the tom-cat. "Why are you running like that?" she questioned.

Spiderkit recognized his chance and darted forward to smack the confused she-cat.

"Hey!" she yelled, unsure of what happened.

"You're it," he explained, pausing his run.

"You little furball," Blossomkit purred, raising her haunches into a crouch, as if she was prepared to leap after him.

Spiderkit felt a flash of admiration for the she-cat, and a pang of jealousy at the same time- why did she have to be bigger? Then it would be fair!

Quick as a bird, he darted away, veering towards the apprentice den, recognizing that their was no cat inside.

Blossomkit didn't follow, instead leaping after Aspenkit, who gave a startled shriek and ducked under the she-cat's paws.

"Alright, kits, I think it's time to pack it in." Lizardclaw piped in.  
Spiderkit recognized his mother strait away. "Mom!" he shreiked, rushing over to her, "You're back!" he heard Aspenkit's surprised squeak.

"Yes." Lizardclaw answered.

"How was the patrol?" Blossomkit sat upright, tucking her tail over her paws neatly, while beside her, Rainkit lay slumped over, panting heavily.

"Rainkit, stop that! You look like a dog," Barkkit scolded.

Rainkit looked offended before putting his tounge back into his mouth.

"Spiderkit, Aspenkit, the sun is setting. Let's get back to the nursery."

"But, can't we stay out with Tawnycloud's kits? We'll be good!"

"When you're four moons old, sure," Lizardclaw's voice was calm, but Spiderkit could see small burts of anger in his mother's eyes. He knew better to argue with his spicy, uncontrolled mother, or else he'd get a scolding. He still loved her all the same- the best mother he'd ever had... the only one.

"Fine," Aspenkit's tail drooped, her gray ears plastered to her head.

"See you, guys!" Blossomkit flicked her tail warmly.

Spiderkit's gaze trailed her as he left, following his mother.

Aspenkit drew her tounge over her ruffled pelt. Time and time again, she'd lick her fur before her sleep so sleek she could practically see her face in it- but each time she woke up, all her hard work was gone. She was working on her hind leg when Rainkit busted through the nursery entrance.

"Guess what? Guess what?!" he yelled, joy gleaming in his bright blue eyes.

Aspenkit didn't have to guess. He was six moons old today, meaning his apprentice ceremony would be just before sun-down. She couldn't help but feel jealous- it stinged her pelt. If only I was born sooner...!

"Will you be there for my ceremony, Aspenkit?" Rainkit questioned, his blue gaze fixed intently on her.

"Well, yeah, of course." she mewed calmly. Why would he ask such a dumb question like that?  
"And so am I!" Spiderkit raised his head beside her, the thick tuft of fur on his head curled awkwardly.

Rainkit nodded. "I'm so excited. I hope I get Heatherstorm as my mentor!"

Aspenkit felt a surge of joy and admiration for her father. She pondered whether to thank him or not.

"Rainkit? Where are you?" Blossomkit poked her head through the nursery.

"Oh. There," she padded over to her brother, a look of amusement in her eyes.

"Boy, Aspenkit, your pelt looks nice today," she complimented the she-cat.

"I was just thinking that," Rainkit replied.

 _Why is every cat obsessing over me?_ She shifted her paws, not knowing how to react.

"Wanna play one last game of tag as kits?" Rainkit asked Blossomkit.  
"Sure! But be prepared- I'm going to _cream_ you!"'

"Can I join?" Spiderkit looked up.

"Sure! You too, Aspenkit?" Blossomkit replied.

"No, thanks. I want to keep cleaning my pelt."

"Okay! Come on, Spiderkit," Blossomkit let the tom pad in front of her before all three kits left the nursery.

A heartbeat later, Aspenkit heard a _whack_ and a distant "You're it!"

"You'd rather clean yourself then play tag?" Lizardclaw inquired.

"Mm." was Aspenkit's reply, drowned out by the frequent tounge-rasps as she finished her leg.

Lizardclaw rose to her paws. "Who do you want to be your mentor?" she asked.

Aspenkit paused. She wasn't sure what to say.

"I mean, as an apprentice, of course... and it's not like you get to choose, but.."  
"I think I'd want Sorrelmoon," Aspenkit quickly replied. "She's nimble and _really_ smart."

She heard her mother's purr of approval. "She was my mentor, too! Good choice."

Aspenkit craned her head out the entrance to see her brother crouched, his green eyes narrowed. In a split second, Barkkit was throwing herself at him.

 _Dodge!_ She instructed in her head. At the last moment, Spiderkit swerved, and dashed away.

She could see Barkkit suppressing an angry glare.  
"Oh, come on! You're letting a kit beat you? You're almost an apprentice!"

Aspenkit saw Duststar commenting from across the clearing.

Barkkit lowered her head in embarrasment.

Aspenkit saw Duststar mumble to himself, before a gleam snagged in his eyes.

"Lets make that happen," he mewed, loud enough for any cat to hear.

"Hazelwing," he called to the brown she-cat, "Have you sent out any patrols?"

"No. I was just about-"

Duststar broke away from her and quickly sprinted up the rock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" he called, his loud voice ringing across the clearing.

Tawnycloud let out a startled yowl and dashed away from her half-eaten vole to rush over to her kits, who were staring up at their leader with a new-found confusion.

Aspenkit raced over to Spiderkit, who was staring up at Duststar expectantly, his eyes gleaming, as if he was being apprenticed himself.

"Rainkit! Come forward," Duststar called, even with cats still emerging from their dens.

Rainkit trotted forward confidently.

"From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be Rainpaw. Sorrelmoon,"

 _Dang it!_

"You are kind, swift, and lithe. You will be an excellent mentor to this young apprentice."  
Rainpaw stood there, as if he didn't know what to do.

Thankfully, Sorrelmoon padded over and touched noses with the tom, guiding him back with her tail.

"Barkkit! Come forward. From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be Barkpaw. Frogwing, you are a fiercly loyal..."  
 _This is too boring. Will my ceremony really look like this?_

She watched the two touch noses, and she was done.

She sneaked away, out of the crowd, back to the nursery.

 _I don't care about my fur anymore. I'm going to take a nap._


	3. Chapter 3

p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"The air was dense and cool, showing definite signs of green-leaf rain. The wind was blowing at a high speed that tugged at her pelt./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""I hate this wind!" she yowled./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Really? It feels great!" the tom next to her exclaimed./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""You didn't wash yourself for a good sun-rise this morning to have it wasted by this... idiotic... WIND!"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Here's a suggestion: don't clean yourself every morning." Spiderpaw snorted./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Be quiet," Aspenpaw snapped, irritation pricking in her pelt./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Will you two quit yapping? This is a border patrol, not an excuse to be talking your tail off!" Beetlewing hissed at the two./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Sorry," Spiderpaw quickly mewed, his head lowered./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Can I mark the border with Windclan?" Aspenpaw asked./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Sure. Spiderpaw, you'll take the Shadowclan border," Applepelt reasoned./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Aspenpaw's irritation faded upon seeing Spiderpaw's uncanny frightened look. /p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Ahead of them, Deerfoot let out a soft hiss as they neared the Windclan border./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Do you smell that?" she mewed coldly./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Aspenpaw opened her jaws to draw in scent and was given an unfamiliar tang on her tounge./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Windclan scent! Inside our border!" Beetlewing's neck fur rose up, and her tone was no more than enraged. /p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Could they be trying to steal territory?" Spiderpaw inquired./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""I bet," Applepelt's tone was calm, showing no signs of hatred, unlike Beetlewing, practically seething./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Should we go back and tell Duststar?" Aspenpaw mewed, desperate to leave the wind./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Good idea," Spiderpaw quickly mewed./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""We should finish the patrol," Deerfoot mewed, sounding irritated./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Aspenpaw suppressed a growl./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"By the time they reared the Shadowclan border, Aspenpaw was worn out; convinced she wouldn't have enough strength to make it back./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"But she slugged to the camp and tossed herself in her nest. "I hate the evening patrol," she murmered to herself./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""Psst, Aspenpaw!" A paw poked her side./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""No!" she grumbled, wanting to slip into sleep./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""I brought you a mouse," the voice mewed./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Hunger seared at her stomach, making her weariness seem like a small thorn inside her./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"She sat up and met the gaze of Rainpaw, who was staring at her, holding a plump mouse in his jaws./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Upon meeting her gaze, he set it down, and stepped back, as if he was waiting for her to eat it./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"She rose from her moss and sat, not hesitating before tearing up the dead carcass, delicous flesh hanging off her jaws./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;""I thought we could share," Rainpaw whispered./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Aspenpaw felt a pinge of regret. "Sorry," she murmered, sacrificing the last few scraps to the tom, pushing them forward with her paw./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Rainpaw shook his head. "It's fine..."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"Aspenpaw felt a surge of relief and gobbled down the last of the poor creature before burying it's bones. She thanked Rainbow and tucked her tail over her head, and slipped fully into sleep.C/p 


End file.
